Has Little-Girl Primping Gone Too Far? In a Word, Yes.

We've already witnessed the puzzling phenomenon of young girls wearing makeup, and there's always Nair for kids. But what would you say if I told you that girls as young as eight were getting bikini waxes? A new Philadelphia magazine story delves into the troubling world of little-girl grooming, uncovering stories of young girls being plucked, scrubbed, waxed, highlighted, and polished into doll-like versions of their former selves, all under the watchful eye of their equally appearance-obsessed mother. Here are a few more of the shocking things observed:

An 8-year-old getting a bikini wax

A mother demanding that her 8-year-old daughter's brows be waxed like a supermodel's

Sisters, one 9 and one 10, getting microdermabrasion (what, to reveal even more youthful skin?)

A mother requesting a chemical straightening treatment on her 12-year-old's beautiful wavy hair

A 12-year old getting a full body wax

16-year olds getting breast augmentations

It's easy to just blame these girls' mothers (and, ahem, where are their fathers?!). But I find it just as troubling that spa owners allow these unnecessary (and sometimes painful) procedures to be performed on children. Since the mothers are willing to drop big bucks on a regular basis to keep their daughters perfectly preened, salon owners risk losing the lucrative business should they refuse to perform a service. And from the sound of it, most of them would rather keep their traps shut than jeopardize their profits.

To see what I think about this, and to share your opinion,

.

Girls are bombarded daily with images of women, all flashing bleached-white smiles, flawless skin, and tan, hairless bodies. It's bad enough that they feel pressure to live up to those unattainable expectations, but you'd hope that their moms would hold their daughters' hands through those awkward years. Instead, some parents are encouraging them to get bikini waxes before there's anything there to wax. I'm deeply worried for girls who, in their formative years, are being taught that their self-worth is only as good as their outward appearance.

I realize that there is the potential for a happy medium when it comes to personal grooming at a young age, but there's a difference between a mini-manicure party and a full body wax for a 10-year old. What do you think about this? Are you as disheartened as I am?

Seriously, what 8 year old even has hair down there? And I would never get a chemical straightening treatment, plus isn't microdermabrasion for REMOVING WRINKLES? And I didn't even start shaving my legs til I was 12. This is horrible.

THIS IS ABUSE!!! I can't believe mums are doing that to their daughters...sure, my mum let me get facials when I was 13 bt that's because I'm a MODEL! My mother comes from a strict Jamaican family, which is why I had to wait until I had hair long enough on my legs to cornrow them (lol im EXAGGERATING!)before I could shave...This is way too sad...I've gotten my eyebrows waxed before-when I was 13 (and that was because of the fact that I accidentally messed up my eyebrows which made me look weird lol)...and when I first got it, it hurts so badly that I can only imagine a BIKINI wax! I know that in a few years when I am 18 (in about 4 years) I will probably be able to wax my bikini area, but right now i am stuck to just shaving the parts that can be seen..
I have a question to those mothers: ARE YOU GIVING YOUR 9 YEAR OLD TAMPONS TOO ALTHOUGH THEY HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THEIR PERIOD YET?? Since you monsters have pretty much given your kids everything that they are not ready for-physically and probably mentally...
NEWSFLASH! Your daughters aren't perfect baby dolls...they poop and eat like regular people. Stop treating your kids like Barbies!!!

THIS IS ABUSE!!! I can't believe mums are doing that to their daughters...sure, my mum let me get facials when I was 13 bt that's because I'm a MODEL! My mother comes from a strict Jamaican family, which is why I had to wait until I had hair long enough on my legs to cornrow them (lol im EXAGGERATING!)before I could shave...This is way too sad...I've gotten my eyebrows waxed before-when I was 13 (and that was because of the fact that I accidentally messed up my eyebrows which made me look weird lol)...and when I first got it, it hurts so badly that I can only imagine a BIKINI wax! I know that in a few years when I am 18 (in about 4 years) I will probably be able to wax my bikini area, but right now i am stuck to just shaving the parts that can be seen..I have a question to those mothers: ARE YOU GIVING YOUR 9 YEAR OLD TAMPONS TOO ALTHOUGH THEY HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THEIR PERIOD YET?? Since you monsters have pretty much given your kids everything that they are not ready for-physically and probably mentally...NEWSFLASH! Your daughters aren't perfect baby dolls...they poop and eat like regular people. Stop treating your kids like Barbies!!!

okay, these are the girls who will be, in about 2 years, leaning over the toilet puking every single thing they've ever eaten out. and the parents will sit and wonder...why? and maybe from the sound of this, the moms will be right next to them puking in the sink.
i can understand if the girl has jungle-like eyebrows and needs a self esteem fixer, but seriously, a bikini wax? children have only one chance for a carefree childhood in their lives, and these horrible excuses for mothers are ruining it.
this is sad. some people shouldnt be allowed to reproduce.

okay, these are the girls who will be, in about 2 years, leaning over the toilet puking every single thing they've ever eaten out. and the parents will sit and wonder...why? and maybe from the sound of this, the moms will be right next to them puking in the sink.i can understand if the girl has jungle-like eyebrows and needs a self esteem fixer, but seriously, a bikini wax? children have only one chance for a carefree childhood in their lives, and these horrible excuses for mothers are ruining it.this is sad. some people shouldnt be allowed to reproduce.

why would these little girls want to wax anything.. they probably dont know what it is and their mothers are just like.. go do this. i didnt know about plucking eyebrows or anything when i was 8. and even the makeup thing is annoying.. my friends and i wore like some cheap like children eyeshadow to school when we were probably 10 or 11, and i rmemeber the teacher making us wash it off right when we got there.

i agree this is insane! what hair does an 8 year old need to have waxed off in her bikini area?? seriously? i agree that this all boils down to the mothers and their own unresolved issues and passing these on to their daughters. so sad. i didn't start shaving my legs until i was 13 and my bikini waxing didn't start until i was in my 20's. actually i think my first bikini wax was at 25! i wore makeup but would be grounded if it was over the top and looked 'like a street walker' (my dad's words). :) crazy

i dont get it. what does an 8 year old have to wax?! i certainly didn't have anything to wax when i was 8!! i didn't even have to shave my legs until i was 12!!
and what kind of place does kiddie waxes?! thats so inappropriate, i feel like it would qualify as breaking some sort of law. i dont know.
as for the microdermabrasion, thats also pretty sick. i mean i started washing/toning/moisturizing when i was around 9 -- mostly the moisturzing because i kept getting sunburned, and then well it just blossomed from there. but thats not the same as microdermabrasion!!! is it even safe to do that to such young skin?!?!
whats next? boob jobs and botox for 4 year olds?

i dont get it. what does an 8 year old have to wax?! i certainly didn't have anything to wax when i was 8!! i didn't even have to shave my legs until i was 12!! and what kind of place does kiddie waxes?! thats so inappropriate, i feel like it would qualify as breaking some sort of law. i dont know.as for the microdermabrasion, thats also pretty sick. i mean i started washing/toning/moisturizing when i was around 9 -- mostly the moisturzing because i kept getting sunburned, and then well it just blossomed from there. but thats not the same as microdermabrasion!!! is it even safe to do that to such young skin?!?!whats next? boob jobs and botox for 4 year olds?

I think its crazy. This past weekend, I went to get my eyebrows threaded. I see what I assume to be a grandma with her 9-12 yr old grand daughter. There I am sitting next to the lil girl waiting my turn, thinking she's just accompanying her grannie. Nope! She's there to get her eyebrows done! My first time was when I was 16/17 yrs old, a year before I went to college. The beautician was asking why do you want to get your eyebrows cleaned when there's nothing to clean! She asked to get them more straightened.. whatever that meant. She was done in less than a minute!
Anyhow I believe it's not entirely the mother's fault. These girls come home from school telling their mom, so and so's mom lets her wear makeup, get waxed, etc.
I'd call it peer pressure with moms permission.

I think its crazy. This past weekend, I went to get my eyebrows threaded. I see what I assume to be a grandma with her 9-12 yr old grand daughter. There I am sitting next to the lil girl waiting my turn, thinking she's just accompanying her grannie. Nope! She's there to get her eyebrows done! My first time was when I was 16/17 yrs old, a year before I went to college. The beautician was asking why do you want to get your eyebrows cleaned when there's nothing to clean! She asked to get them more straightened.. whatever that meant. She was done in less than a minute!Anyhow I believe it's not entirely the mother's fault. These girls come home from school telling their mom, so and so's mom lets her wear makeup, get waxed, etc. I'd call it peer pressure with moms permission.

This news is sad, but doesn't surprise me at all. I just see it as an extension of all the mothers who dress their little girls inappropriately, and want to be their friends instead of their parents. I guess they're trying to give their daughters the "edge" they didn't have growing up, whether it's better clothes, straighter hair, shapelier eyebrows (?), or just more indulgences in general. It's competition of sorts.

Unfortunately it stems from not being able to say NO or STOP. We see it all the time in restaurants, subways, stores. Parents will just say YES or they will allow them to run wild without teaching them manners and public decorum (whatever happened to using your inside voice). To do most of these procedures on a pre-teen child who has yet to really understand themselves or their bodies is cruel. You are just reinforcing their flaws and putting them in a habit of constantly looking at themselves and figuring what will it take to fix what ever minor "flaw" they find. Anorexia and bulemia cannot be far behind. Young girls follow their mothers and are influenced by them - good or bad. Both parents are party to this sick game but when it come to little girls its mommy who has the control.

Unfortunately it stems from not being able to say NO or STOP. We see it all the time in restaurants, subways, stores. Parents will just say YES or they will allow them to run wild without teaching them manners and public decorum (whatever happened to using your inside voice).
To do most of these procedures on a pre-teen child who has yet to really understand themselves or their bodies is cruel. You are just reinforcing their flaws and putting them in a habit of constantly looking at themselves and figuring what will it take to fix what ever minor "flaw" they find. Anorexia and bulemia cannot be far behind. Young girls follow their mothers and are influenced by them - good or bad. Both parents are party to this sick game but when it come to little girls its mommy who has the control.